Community of Beaman gearing up for Memorial Day celebration

May 19, 2013

The Grundy County Community of Beaman is finishing preparations for its 2013 Memorial Day weekend observance, which will be held on Saturday, May 25-Monday, May 27th. This annual event is one of the longest running celebrations in the area and is one of the first community celebrations to kick off the summer season in central Iowa.

Activities begin Saturday morning, May 25th with the Beaman Fire Department serving breakfast at the Memorial Hall from 7 - 11 a.m. Other activities slated for Saturday include: The Pat Neff Memorial Run at 9 a.m. Registration begins at the park shelter house on Main Street at 8 a.m. Shuttles will be provided to the starting point at Wolf Creek Recreation area where participants competitively run or walk the Comet Trail back to downtown Beaman;

The Beaman Library will be open from 9-12 p.m. with kids crafts at the library from 9-10 a.m.; Kids games on Main Street beginning at 10 a.m., including fun activities such as a dunk tank, cake walk, bounce house and other events; Lunch will be served at the Memorial Hall from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

A number of new activities are coming to Beaman's Memorial Day event on Saturday afternoon, including: A grand parade beginning at 1 p.m. Line up will be at Monsanto; An antique tractor and classic car show from 2-5 p.m. downtown on Main Street; A pedal tractor pull at the city tennis courts on the south end of Main Street beginning at 2 p.m.; An evening meal served at the Memorial Hall beginning at 5 p.m.; A bean bag tournament beginning at 7 p.m. on Main Street; Saturday's activities will conclude with a dance at the Beaman Tap from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. featuring "The Other Band."

Sunday's activities include a 10:45 community church service at the Beaman United Methodist Church with a pot luck following the service. The Beaman UMC is celebrating 50 years in 2013.

Monday, May 27th ac tivities include: Decoration of graves and programs at the Vienna Cemetery at 10 a.m. and Oakland Cemetery at 10:30 a.m.